www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/1996172.html
Texas is suing Sony BMG Music Entertainment, alleging the company illegal ly installed spyware on millions of music CDs that Attorney General Greg Abbott says can make computers vulnerable to computer viruses and othe r forms of attack. Abbott said the spyware installs files onto the computers on which the CD s are played. "Sony has engaged in a technological version of cloak and dagger deceit a gainst consumers by hiding secret files on their computers," Abbott said . "Consumers who purchased a Sony CD thought they were buying music. Instea d, they received spyware that can damage a computer, subject it to virus es and expose the consumer to possible identity crime, he said. The lawsuit alleges the company violated a new Texas law protecting consu mers from hidden spyware.
Click Here To Read The Lawsuit Sony says on its Web site that it has recalled all the affected CDs, but Abbott said investigators were able to buy a number of titles at retail stores in Austin as recently as Sunday evening.
Click Here For Sony BMG Web Site Abbott says the CDs contain embedded copy protection files or XCP technol ogy, which prompts consumers to enter into a user agreement to install a Sony audio player. Consumers who agree to the terms, however, arent aware that files are se cretly installed, Abbott said. Sony says it has instituted an exchange program for consumers who purchas ed the affected CDs and says the issue involving the CDs arises only whe n the discs are played on computers. We share the concerns of consumers regarding these discs, and we are ins tituting a mail-in program that will allow consumers to exchange any CD with XCP software for the same CD without copy protection and receive MP 3 files of the same title, the company said. We also have asked our retail partners to remove all unsold CDs with XCP software from their store shelves and inventory.
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